Engineering Education & Career Opportunities

Contributed by Stan Jackson

Engineers design products and processes that enhance productivity and benefit mankind

1. Engineering Education

a) High School Diploma or equivalent

b) After H.S. consider military if not motivated for college

50/50 tuition program, excellent technical training, 2-4 year commitment

c) ROTC programs pay full college, you graduate as commissioned officer, after

Graduation you have 4 year military commitment

d) Other civilian tech training, AutoCAD, computer and electronics, surveying

e) State of Florida has excellent engineering college system for the cost

f) Miami/Dade, BCC, PBJC Jr. College system, then transfer to State schools such as UF, FSU, FAU, FIU, USF, UCF

g) Maintain 3.0 academic average, use tutors if having difficulty in math

h) First two years are core science, math, physics with calculus, chemistry, etc.

i) Last 3-5 years are engineering courses and engineering design in specific discipline

j) Undergraduate program can take 5 years, summer school can ease load

k) State schools have various grants, scholarship programs if money is a problem

l) School should be ABET accredited

m) Take E.I.T exam senior year

2. Engineering Disciplines – 3 Major Groups

a) Civil Engineering

Land development, site planning, surveying, wastewater-sanitary, transportation, structural, environmental engineering, coastal engineering

b) Mechanical Engineering

Component and machine design, HVAC, combustion, plumbing, fire systems, controls, facilities engineering, biomedical engineering, marine engineering

c) Electrical Engineering

Power distribution (Industrial, residential), telecommunications, digital and analog circuit design, computer architecture and engineering, biomedical engineering

d) Other Engineering Disciplines

Chemical, Industrial, Petroleum, Aeronautical, Automative, Ocean, Naval Architecture – Architecture (not engineers, but have some structural engineering knowledge

3. Who Hires Engineers?

a) Government – local, state, federal (local building depts. SFWMD, Army Corp. Engineers)

b) Government Contractors – (Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed, General Dynamics, MAR, Inc.)

c) Private Companies – (utilities, manufacturers, computer co., medical products co., etc.)

d) Consulting Engineering Firms – (Civil firms, MEP firms, Environmental firms)

e) Design – Build Firms – (contractors and construction companies, turnkey engineering co.)

4. Professional Registration – Obtaining P.E. License

a) Why do I need a P.E. license? – Seal required for public engineering projects, protects the public, may be required for further advancement, show you have met a standard

b) Graduate from a 4 year ABET accredited engineering program

c) Pass E.I.T. exam (engineering fundamentals exam – normally taken in senior year)

d) 4 years work experience

e) Apply for exam – 4 references, 2 have to be PEs several month process, cutoff dates

f) Exam given twice a year in spring and fall

g) Exam in 8 hours split into morning and afternoon sessions

h) Start to study 6 months prior to exam

i) Exams are given for major disciplines, plus Structural 1 & 2 exams

j) Do not get discouraged if you don’t pass the first time – you are allowed several retakes

5. Interviewing

a) Dress your best – dark blue or black suit – pinstripe, white dress shirt, conservative tie, polished shoes, new belt, socks, clean shave, haircut, breath

b) Ask questions when appropriate

c) Relax and be yourself

d) If you really want the job, let the employer know

e) Always follow up the interview with a thank you letter-reiterate you want the job and why

Famous Engineers

Famous Civil Engineers

Famous Chemical Engineers

Famous Chemical Engineers (2)

Famous Electrical Engineers

Famous Mechanical Engineers

Famous Industrial Engineers

Engineering Society resources for High Schools